Problems with DVD-R and HS2
 

Got the Panasonic DMR-HS2 unit two days ago. Editing is great. Very simple getting it into the hard drive. Looks GREAT in the hard drive. Interesting turn of events...Tried to burn once to Memorex and it failed me. The picture dropped out towards the end...got all this digital crap and then it eventually just died. Tried it again and it worked...but I'm disappointed in the results. The finalized DVD-R looks a bit more washed out than the original that is contained in the hard drive. One of the biggest reasons why I was hesitant to get into DVD-R is that all of the examples I've seen have had this problem, they're a bit washed out. The bootleg Star Wars and Indiana Jones have this problem as well as the DVD-R copies i've seen of both trilogies and the THX WOW disc I have. I have some other concerts that were put onto DVD-R and all together I've seen examples from the Pioneer, Panasonic and PC burners so it's not the burners themselves. It's as if someone brightened your copy a bit. I feel like I have to change the settings on my TV to watch them. I did a direct comparison...putting the DVD-R in my other DVD player and playing the Hard Drive version and there was a DEFINITE difference. I don't want to say the result is horrible...but less than good is accurate.
I decided to give DVD-RAM a try since I read somewhere that they're supposed to be "better" than DVD-R. Guess what? The copy that I got looked identical to that on my hard drive. I was pleasantly surprised and then suddenly annoyed.
Do I now archive everything on DVD-RAM only to never be able to watch it in other machines? Do I suck it up and just use DVD-R and hope that someday this problem is fixed? The whole point of my getting this machine in the first place is that I wanted to archive and edit all the stuff that I had on VHS. Now it seems pointless.

At this point, I'd just like to return the recorder and wait until this problem is fixed. It makes no sense to waste $800 on something that's really not going to help me archive all my old VHS when it honestly doens't look better than VHS. I'm going to call PC Richard and ask what their terms are.


Anyone have any thoughts?

I have a computer DVD-R (Pioneer A04) and the copies look great. DV>DVD-R or Laserdisc>DVD-R. Maybe something in the processing of DVD-R in your recorder?

digitalfreaknyc: Just a quick comment..... Memorex CDs are terrible. I would try a different disk first, maybe TDK.

Nope.

After many posts in MANY other forums...it is concluded.

It is being returned.

It is a problem ONLY in panasonic machines. It's a problem in ALL panasonic recorders.

I'll be buying another once they come out. It's too much to waste on this machine.